Rep. Jason Chaffetz: Obama Admin Sent Attorney to ‘Follow Me in My Every Footstep’ During Investigative Trip to Libya

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Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill on October 10, 2012 in Washington, DC. The hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee focused on the security situation in Benghazi leading up to the September 11 attack that resulted in the assassination of U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens. (Credit: Getty Images)

During a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) revealed he dropped everything and traveled to Libya on a fact-finding mission following the deadly terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.

However, Chaffetz didn’t travel alone. He said the State Department sent an attorney to follow him — a sitting member of U.S. Congress — in his “every footstep” as he searched for answers in the wake of the fiery assault that claimed the lives of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

“I did go to Libya. I did drop everything. I had the same type of notice that was given to the Democrats. In fact, the State Department sent an attorney to follow me in my every footstep,” Chaffetz said.

Chaffetz also warned Obama administration officials about releasing “classified” information about the attack.

“Now this was a massive attack, no doubt bout it. We are getting new details. And I believe, Mr. Chairman, the reason we have those details is because of this hearing,” he said. “Mysteriously, the State Department decided to give a press briefing last night. We weren’t invited. Certain news outlets weren’t invited. Any reasonable person looking at the security situation in Libya had to come to the conclusion that it was tumultuous at best.”

Chaffetz went on to say he wished he could share everything he had learned while in Libya but said the federal government needs to be careful about discussing “sensitive, secure information about sources and methods.”

“I think some of the information that the State Department has shared oversteps some of those bounds,” he added.